Mipcom, the world entertainment market held in Cannes, will be opening its 31st edition on October 5th which will be dedicated to Turkey , a young expanding market (200 million dollars of exports per year) . There will be 60 new exhibitors (including a new Portuguese and German pavilion) and a growing number of screenings: the inauguration will be devoted to the European co-production “The Last Panthers” and, for the second time (after “House of Cards”), there will be a pre-opening screening, on the evening of October 4th, of “The Art of More”, presented by Crackle, Sony Pictures Television’s streaming service.
“There is a very strong competition going on now in terms of the creation of premium quality content”, says Laurine Garaude, director of the Television Division of Reed Midem. “An aspect of this extreme search for creativity is certainly linked to the rise of OTT (Over The Top Services- Google, Netflix, Hulu…) and the increase of SVOD. That’s why we introduced the “Into the stream” strand this year, all about OTT, VOD and this accelerat- ing multiplicity of new channels and platforms.” A look at how traditional broadcasters are changing their approach to OTT services, also due to the so-called “Netflix effect”.
“There is a huge request from clients and buyers to have more screenings,” continues Garaude, “premieres are not only a great occasion for them to discover and watch great content together, but also to reach consumers early on through media events of this kind. Consumers want to know early on what’s new and they are very interested in new shows coming on with new talents…”
This continual search for high quality content is particularly evident in drama, and also here we can see different trends: one is certainly that of co-productions, which is especially relevant in the European region: “we are seeing more and more co-productions everywhere, but it’s true that in Europe there is a very interesting high profile trend of co-productions which is something to continue to watch.” The presence of Europa Creativa is very interesting in this regard, “they have come here to promote their fund to support drama series” (“Media support to TV series: how to boost European cooperation?”).
However, on the other side of the ocean, attention is more focused on science fiction, with the section on the best sci-fi producers organized by the Canada Media Fund &Telefilm Canada (“The allure of escapism- Engaging Millennials”) but, above all, the long-awaited return of “The X files”: 13 years after the last episode of one of the most highly acclaimed “paranormal sagas” of all times, FBI agents Mulder and Scully will be returning for 6 episodes of the series-event of the same name, the first of which will be previewed at Mipcom on Tuesday October 6th by Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution.
“Together with “Into the stream”, the other main strand of this year is “Reshaping the Content Game”, focusing on new content strategies, and there is a very clear trend on adaptations of novels or other literary forms” says Garuaude. There will be a dedicated conference (“Novel adaptations: the road to success?”), and many launches of adaptations, such as “War and Peace” scheduled to air in the UK on the BBC in late 2015/early 2016, which will be discussed by a panel that includes Harvey Weinstein, “Shadow Hunters”(to be screened by Constantin Film on October 6th), and “The Ambassador’s Wife” that Marc Gordon, one of the most prolific Hollywood producers, (“Steve Jobs”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Criminal Minds”) will be talking about in his keynote speech where he will also focus on the new independent television and film studio he has created in partnership with eOne.
“Reshaping the Content Game” will also showcase the most highly anticipated and inspiring documentaries with a session on the role of the media in creating and provoking global change. Here Yean Arhus Bertrand will launch “Human”, a moving portrait of human beings today, based on 2000 interviews shot in more than 70 countries, the first feature film led by two foundations, the Bettancourt Schueller Foundation and the GoodPlanet Foundation.
On the same panel we will find Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the first Pakistani to win an Oscar (for the short documentary “Saving Face” in 2012).
Among the other important keynotes are David Nevins (President of Showtime Networks) and Armando Nunez (president and CEO of Global Distribution Group), who will talk about their new series “Billions”, with Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis, another of the Mipcom screenings.
Plus Adam Croizer, chief executive of ITV, Sophie Turner Lang, CEO of Endemol Shine, Jim Packer from Lionsgate together with Mike Hopkins (Hulu), George Strompolos, founder & CEO of Fullscreen, and the keynotes of the two most prolific online video pioneers, The Huffington Post (Jimmy Maymann) and Broadband TV (Shahrzad Rafati) who partnered together to launch Outspeak, the first next generation video network that empowers journalists and creators to tell their stories across both companies’ platforms.